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Introduction 

The success of the Galaxy A54 has set the bar high for the just-released Galaxy A55. After the Samsung Galaxy S and Z foldable series, the Galaxy A5x series is likely the most popular in the company's portfolio for good reason.

This year's model makes gains in key areas. The new A55 boasts a bigger display, a more powerful chipset, more RAM in the base configuration and a tougher and more premium build.

Samsung Galaxy A55 specs

• Body: 161.1x77.4x8.2mm, 213g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass), aluminum frame; IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min).
• Display: 6.60" Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 390ppi; Always-on display.
• Chipset: Exynos 1480 (4 nm): Octa-core (4x2.75 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Xclipse 530.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
• OS/Software: Android 14, One UI 6.1.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, 1/3.06", 1.12µm; Macro: 5 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; 25W wired.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Hybrid Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 6; BT 5.3; NFC.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); stereo speakers; virtual proximity sensing during calls.

Most other aspects of what made the Galaxy A54 successful remain untouched - the microSD card support, good primary camera garnished with a decent ultrawide shooter, dependable battery life and IP67-rated build. Moreover, this time, it uses an aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus+ protection

Unboxing the Samsung Galaxy A55

The Galaxy A55 comes in a modest retail box with only some user manuals, a SIM tool and a USB-C to USB-C cable for charging and data transfer. There's no charger included.

Verdict

We had high hopes for the Galaxy A55, but it appears competition is catching up. The newer A55 tries to ride on the success of its predecessors, but the modest upgrades this year make it hard to justify the high launch price. We are impressed by the battery life; we liked the new, more premium design; raw performance is good along with sustained performance, and we are generally happy with the camera all-around, including selfies and video recording. Display quality is competitive, although it's not hard to find bright 120Hz OLEDs nowadays.

In the end, it's the price tag that keeps us from recommending the A55 outright. There are many sensible options around the same price point and even handsets at a much lower price with similar, if not better, user experience. And while it may sound like nit-picking, small things add up. For instance, we are very disappointed by the fingerprint reader; we are not fans of the virtual proximity sensor, and the thick screen bezels are off-putting.

All in all, the Galaxy A55 is a good phone, but not at this price. We suspect other cheaper or similarly priced devices from Samsung itself will cannibalize Galaxy A55 sales unless its price drops significantly in the coming months. Then, it would be a rather easy recommendation.

Pros

• Sturdy build with Gorilla Glass Victus+, aluminum frame, IP67 rating.
• Great battery life.

• Dependable camera performance, excellent videos.
• Good performance for this price range and great thermal behavior.
• Stereo speakers with good quality.
• One of the few devices with microSD slot in this price range.
• Polished One UI 6.1, entitled to at least 4 years of OS upgrades.

Cons

• No charger in the box and not very fast to charge.
• Unreliable fingerprint reader performance.
• Thick display bezels.
• The virtual proximity sensor for turning off the screen during calls is not as good as a physical one.
• Expensive at launch.

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